Slathered on bread, tomatoes, or to dress a salad, this pesto is tops!

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh organic local basil2 cloves fresh organic local garlic (or a sprinkle of garlic powder)1/2 cup raw pecans1/4-1/3 cup nutritional yeast, or same amount of a grated hard cheese such as Parm, Pecorino, or Romano if you're into that sort of thing...1/3-1/2 cup olive oil1 drop doTERRA basil essential oilSalt and pepper to taste

Method:

Combine the garlic (or garlic powder), basil, and pecans in a food processor. Pulse several times to roughly chop the mixture.

Add nutritional yeast (or cheese) and pulse again until ingredients are a course and sandy texture.

Put mixture into a bowl and add the drop of basil essential oil and the olive oil. Mix until well-blended.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Put a hefty spoonful over noodles, zuccini strips, slather on tomatoes with mozarella, or add a bit more olive oil and dress a salad. There's no wrong way to eat this pesto.

*Note: This also freezes will in ice cube containers or mini-tupperwares. Delicious in the middle of winter when there's not a vegetable in sight!

Benefits:

Basil: Basil contains flavanoids called orientin and vicenin, which protect us at a cellular level. It also has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Basil is also high in vitamin K, so is great for our blood health. See here for more health benefits and nutritional information.

Basil Essential Oil: Basil has powerful anti-infectious, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. It can be used to boost alertness and concentration, ease anxiety, nervous depression, headaches, mental fatigue, and insomnia. See here to learn more about doTerra essential oils.

Garlic: Garlic has long been touted as a health promoting food. It is high in sulfur (and while that might make us a little, ahem, stinky, this may be an important part of a our otherwise sulfur-deficient diets. Garlic is also rich with manganese and is a very good source of vitamins B6 and C, as well as selenium. This "stinky rose" also protects our blood vessels from inflammatory and oxidative stress, but its other health benefits abound. See here for nutritional info. Please note: due to its rajastic nature, garlic and onions are NOT part of the traditional Saatvic diet.

Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast is a staple source of protein, particularly for vegans and vegetarians. It is one of the few non-animal sources of B-12, is rich in folic acid and other nutrients and amino acids. Nutritional yeast is free of the Candida Albicans strain, making it safe for those concerned with candida. See here for more health benefits and nutritional information.

Olive Oil: Olive Oil is packed phytonutrients including polyphenols. Most of the polyphenols in olive oil function as both antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients in the body. When eaten in moderation, olive oil can be very beneficial to our gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health. See here for more health benefits and nutritional information.

Pecans: Pecans contain a plethora of vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, a variety of B vitamins and zinc. One ounce of pecans provides 10 percent of the recommended Daily Value for fiber. Pecans are also a source of monounsaturated or "good" fat and protein. See here for more health benefits and nutritional information. Many suggest that soaking nuts (and grains, legumes, and seeds) before consuming them enhances their nutritional quality.

*NOTE: Not all essential oils are created equal. I only use doTerra because their oils are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade, which is suitable for internal, external, and aromatherapeutic consumption.

*NOTE: All doTerra Essential Oils are extremely potent. I’d recommend 1 drop per dish. Otherwise, just know that you will have a VERY strong-tasting snack!